Baguio City Council blocks Athletic Bowl deal amid public uproar

After a week of sustained online buzz — including the emergence of a group on the popular social network site Facebook — the controversial Athletic Bowl deal faces more obstacles as the Baguio City Council moved to recall its confirmation. The Athletic Bowl controversy broke into the open last week, when Baguio-based media, bloggers and Facebook users raised a howl about alleged irregularities surrounding the land development deal. [See: Baguio OKs ‘irregular’ Athletic Bowl deal] During the first council session this week, Baguio’s councilors quickly moved to recall their confirmation of the scandal-ridden Athletic Bowl development plan, whose memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and an individual named An Ho Yul. An’s representation has fueled speculation that the unknown “group of investors" that wanted to develop the Athletic Bowl area, as written on the MOA, consisted of Korean nationals. At least seven city councilors have filed resolutions withdrawing their confirmation of the deal. “For a contract to be valid, the parties must be duly authorized by the entities they represent," said Isabelo Cosalan Jr., one of the councilors. The councilors opposing the deal said their motions invalidate the MOA since any transaction entered into by the city government must be confirmed by the city council. Councilor Perlita Rondez, chairman of the committee on Burnham Park Management who was absent during the December 21 confirmation of the MOA, denounced the deal in a privilege speech on Monday. Rondez was quoted as saying that she would refer the deal, which is allegedly disadvantageous to the government, to the Commission on Audit. Explaining his rejection of the Athletic Bowl deal, Cosalan invoked Executive Order (EO)695 issued by President Arroyo in October 2008 "devolving fully Burnham Park to the city government of Baguio." EO 695 bars the city government from mortgaging or alienating any portion of the park. Under the plan, the investors will build a hotel, a driving range and a bus terminal, among others. Critics have noted that the city government was giving away to the developer an Olympic-sized swimming pool that is now part of the property. Problematic approval Cosalan admitted that Resolution 515-2009, which approved the MOA signed by Bautista and An, “did not follow the rules or procedures of the city council." In a statement, Sangguniang Kabataan President Ysabelle De Vera said: “We were not given the chance to study the matter, or to consult my fellow youth leaders on their stand on this memorandum of agreement." De Vera added that they were consulted only after the resolution was passed. De Vera also said the Athletic Bowl deal was not originally part of the council’s agenda on December 21, adding that the item had become part of the session only through a suspended motion. The council was supposed to approve the deal last December 14, but it was deferred for unknown reasons, De Vera said. Mayor weighs in Mayor Bautista, who is in hot water following the deal, could not immediately be reached for comment. In an earlier press briefing, Bautista claimed that the Internet buzz on the deal had “scared the investors away" and that the signing “never meant the project was already for implementation." The MOA left spaces for the start and end of the project, which raised more questions about its validity. Bautista was quoted as saying that that the deal was not yet final, and that the parties would still have to sit down after government bidding rules are followed. – Nikka Corsino/FVI/JV/NPA, GMANews.TV